The historical town of the year 2018 in the Moravian-Silesian Region is Frenštát

Ostrava - The historical city of the year 2018 in the Moravian-Silesian Region is Frenštát pod Radhoštěm in the Nový Jičín district. Next week, it will compete with 13 other cities in Prague for the national title. This was stated by Petra Batková, spokesperson for the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) in Ostrava.

"It is an award for the best preparation and implementation of the regeneration of the urban heritage zone as well as for the overall care of the heritage fund. The city succeeded, for example, in the renovation of the town hall," Batková said.

The renovation of the Frenštát town hall has been carried out in phases since 2007. At the end of last year, the city completed the last part of the modifications to the external façade of the historic building. The restoration of the town hall's exterior included also the gradual replacement of windows, restoration works, and the renovation of the building’s basement.

"The town hall is located in the Míru Square, which is part of the urban heritage zone. Therefore, all the work was carried out under the direct supervision of the workers of the National Heritage Institute in Ostrava," stated Jana Machková from the Frenštát department of investments and development earlier.

Last year, Frenštát also completed the restoration of the bell tower in Kopaná. The bell tower had its supporting wooden post replaced and was also newly painted.

The committee that selects the winner includes, in addition to representatives of the NPÚ, representatives from the Ministry of Regional Development and the Association of Historical Towns of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia. In addition to the care of cultural monuments and other objects in urban heritage zones, the committee is also interested in the condition of public spaces and the environment in the city, as well as the way of making monuments accessible to visitors. It also evaluates the financial contribution of the city to the restoration of heritage objects and the overall appearance of heritage zones.

The award has been granted since 1994 by the Association of Historical Towns of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Regional Development. The first title was awarded to Svitavy, and the most recent one is held by Slavonice in the Jindřichův Hradec district. The national winners from the Moravian-Silesian Region were Nový Jičín in 2002 and Příbor in 2016. This year’s winner will be announced by the organizers on April 16 in the Spanish Hall at Prague Castle.